A private collection of material focusing on the never ending joys of the Trimet industrial complex
(https://twitter.com/AlYourPalster)
Dispatch/Control clips represent approximately 5% of all calls chosen at random

Trimess

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Sunday, September 30, 2012

Even though it's the street between a major TriMet operations facility and the nearby MAX station, one which operators, employees and others walk down daily, it does not have the "world-class" pedestrian facilities that some here seem to think it would have given the rail nature of those places.

(I'm told that the street is like this because sidewalks were not required when Ruby Jct was built; a recent TriMet expansion fronting one portion of the street did include a sidewalk.)

I too would love TriMet if they gave me a six-figure job, a company vehicle with air conditioning so I didn't have to ride the bus, kick ass benefits like lots of vacation days, an office with a window, and I get to play SimCity all day long and do nothing but plan light rail lines.

I'm virtually positive this issue was different than one a person here experienced. Note the time (1 PM) among the other details. And according to a later article it was "one of the older streetcars (that) broke down on Saturday".

I got the call at 5:42 this evening, and [Rose] left me the message, and then he called me again at like 8:50,” the union president said. “I’ve had this conversation with him before – if it’s something he needs to get out quickly, to text me, and I can break away.”
Hansen said he doesn’t think the union will ultimately pay a price for unfriendly media coverage about its legal dispute with TriMet over past benefits. The transit agency is attempting to retroactively charge its workers and retirees for medical costs their previous insurance plan would have covered.
Hansen says TriMet’s actions are illegal, and workers will win in court.
“When the truth is all said and done, I don’t think it’s going to hurt,” Hansen said of Friday’s story. “They’re going to be found unlawfully implementing their decisions again. … We’re going to be right in the end.”

This transformation has the effect of pushing the visceral yet distant social divisions off the front pages (mailings from a certain candidate for state labor commissioner notwithstanding). Oregon's infrastructure problems and Portland's decision not to pave roads are well-known by now. The priority of Portland's new eastside streetcar, supported in part by slashed TriMet bus routes, has done as much to fuel the Milwaukie light-rail debate as Third Century Solutions' cash. It also rivals in silliness Ohio's proposed 47-mile bridge across Lake Erie in the 1970s.
EDITORIAL HERE!

The profit motive has no place in public transit: By Paul McLennan For many years now, there has been discussion at the state Legislature about privatizing MARTA. In recent weeks, it has intensified. In fact, Mike Jacobs, the chair of the MARTA ...

Long time writer, enthusiast, blogger, tweeter, performer and professional transit rider Dr Jeff was cited for not having his bus pass with him today. This is the first time he has forgotten his pass since he has been riding Trimet. Unfortunately this was the day he ran into a fare inspector, who decided to give him a citation.

This is definitely coming out of the general fund. It's a 'study' which means some guy working at CH2MHill for probably 30k a year puts about 2 weeks worth of work into producing a nice paper using his computer to conduct most of the research. Funny how they always are able to come up with money for the stuff they want. Nice little piece of change for Mcfarlanes crony from the city club

All you have to do is read this document from Trimet legal to see that I have no chance to win this suit against Mcfarlane. I never actually thought I would to be honest. I think I have a good case but without me plowing in thousands of my own dollars and getting a decent attorney its not going anywhere. If I had been smarter I would have realized that my small claim should not have exceeded $700 then I would have been able to drag Mcfarlane into small claims. Alas, hindsight is always 20/20 and I've already spent $200 on this I have no intention of spending any more. We have a union that hopefully is handling this for us. (See the last document) So far we seem to be on the losing side, even though some of the court rulings favor employees. I will go to this hearing, and I will ask for union assistance, but that is as far as I am willing to go with this.

I follow bus news from around the world and TRIMET has achieved another first to my knowledge.I have never heard a story from any transit district anywhere in the world that ordered their employees to pay them back for health care they have already received.

That's unbelievable of course, since bus on time is so freaking awful.
Those of us who listen to the scanner channel know how many breakdowns MAX has had lately.
Never thought I would see this happen though.

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Tri-Met brass: It's all the union's fault

The head of Portland's insolvent transit agency has taken to badmouthing his employees' unions
these days. But he can't seem to make that speech without a "planning"
consultant from CH2M Hill next to him. Ah, those consultants -- who
make the millions setting up money-burning rail projects like the insane
WES train and the equally nutty Mystery Train to Milwaukie. Yes, the
unions have overreached in recent years, but when Tri-Met ends up in
bankruptcy and the workers get maneuvered out of their pensions, you
won't see CH2M Hill giving back any money. Tri-Met brass: It's all the union's fault (Jack Bog's Blog)

Ok guys. I hate to be the bearer of bad news.
So i'm posting here for Cameron at the moment. His internet has been down the past day or so and due to that he will not be able to carry out the initial plan he had for this board meeting.
Sorry!

Dan has been writing some really great stuff since he re-started his blog. Excellent stuff actually.
I have noticed he has steered clear of Trimet political issues, which somewhat surprises me given all that has gone on with management over the past year.

Yea he is no friend to the working man, this latest rant of his conveniently skips the fact that Trimet won the arbitration and has reduced a huge chunk of his "benefits" argument. But he does have a valid point of view.

Notice how NOT EVEN ONE OF THESE ARTICLES mention that Trimet slashed services to their bus system, raised fares and took away their employees benefits as a result of this streetcar and other light rail adventures. NOT ONE WORD ABOUT THAT!

And always remember, not working at Trimess unless you subscribe to:Ensure a commitment to safety through consistent and professional behaviors in performance of job requirements that demonstrate safety is a fundamental value that guides all aspects of our work.

It's just hilarious how the rest of the world keeps holding up TRIMET as its model. So much discontent here at home, yet the rest of the world thinks Portland a transit nirvana? Why the disconnect?

Having grown up in Boston I always saw Portland as a nice little city with a nice little transit system. (compared to the MBTA Trimet is puny) Living in NW Portland is also a great place to live if you need to use transit. But a "transit nirvana" WTF? There is absolutely nothing special about Portland.It's far from world class, buses are old and bus service is crumbling. So we have a streetcar and a tram. Most people NEVER use either of them. (me included) We have nice light rail moving people around but come on, SO WHAT? If you can't get to the light rail or to where you're going on light rail of what use is it?

An initiative to prevent Trimet from building any more light rail has passed in Clackamas County, obviously the people of Clackamas county find it no model. Only 12% of commuters use TRIMET.How can an organization that attracts only 12% ridership even be under consideration as a 'model?

There is only one explanation. It's the model for the career bureaucrats! It's certainly no model for the people who use it. (ya i know its better than a lot of other places, big deal.)

Saturday, September 22, 2012

There's the crapped out Streetcar - the Streetcar I was on was behind it a block or two.

The Streetcar proponents claim that Streetcars entice a more healthy environment by encouraging walking. They're right. I could have sat my lazy ass on the Streetcar when nobody was saying anything about why it was broke (I had to check my Twitter for updates). Instead, I walked all the way across the Hawthorne Bridge to get my car, drive back to pick up my family, and then continued our journey in air conditioned, spacious comfort.

1.2 miles.

About a 20 minute walk. Considering we had been on the Streetcar for about 40 minutes taking the long, scenic trip through nowhere to get there... (I could have ridden a bus and shaved half the time walking back, but I didn't want to wait for the bus.)

Bus operators gave emotional testimony at a Wednesday meeting of the
County Board's Transportation, Public Works and Transit Committee,
saying disputes with riders over the validity of paper transfers were
the cause of dangerous confrontations.During the session, more than a dozen drivers stood silently in the
meeting room, holding up paper transfers, until called on to speak.

"When I started this job, it was a good job," she said, struggling to
maintain her composure. Aggressive incidents had changed that, she said,
noting many other cities abolished transfers years ago. The cost to the
bus system in unpaid fares and drivers who miss work because of
injuries inflicted by violent passengers should outweigh financial
concerns transit system managers have raised in opposing any quick or
novel attempt to do away with transfers, she said.

And here's one cut I find particularly interesting: Every bus schedule
has a cushion built in to allow for accidents or unexpected traffic
jams. I'm told those cushions are being removed from the schedule. That
means TransLink will need fewer buses and fewer drivers, which will be
fine until the bus you are waiting for is held up by an accident or
unexpected traffic jam.

Lets say that out of all the unionized employees 1000 (75%) of them "owe" McDickhead and his band of ruthless Nazi executives $7000. That would be $7,000,000.Any guesses on what $7,000,000 would buy the sleaze bags that operate Trimet?

I got my 2 letters from the Union today. I was shocked to see how much I'd have to pay Tri Met back !!! I'll do what the Union asked, but it makes me a bit nervous ....McDickhead must take great pleasure out of terrorizing his employees.I am convinced this man has an agenda that is being withheld from public scrutiny.

BALTIMORE — Transit
officials say a bus jumped a curb at a Baltimore bus stop and crashed
into a shelter, sending seven to area hospitals.
Maryland Transit Administration police say the accident
occurred about 9:30 a.m. Thursday at the Mondawmin Transit Center.
Transit officials say four were taken to Sinai Hospital, two to Bon
Secors Hospital and one to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma
Center. All of the injuries were believed to be non-threatening.
MTA police say the driver, who has been with the MTA
since 1997, would be tested for drugs and alcohol, which is standard
procedure following an accident.Baltimore bus jumps curb, hits passengers waiting at stop, 7 hospitalized

its been over the top crazzy out there...when i pulled in last nite the guy that pulls boxes said everyone was complaining how bad it was

my last trip was insane too..i had to listen to blood curdling screams from a kid from btc to hillsboro
then i had the dude hitting on all the women on the bus including me..i had to tell him to go sit down i was trying to drive..annoying as hell

these stupid drivers are still not tearing the day tickets in the right
place...i had to fix like 5 tickets yesterday..some say they got it from
a 57 and 52

idiots..1 girl described the driver and its K M been here almost
30 yrs and cant do it right!..can u imagine being stopped by fare
inspector telling
u its no good after u paid 5 bucks

The county analysis also argues that the measure could be ruled unconstitutional. Researchers argued that it goes beyond normal legislation and intrudes on the general administrative functions of county government. This issue could open up the measure to a court challengeKATU HEREAny people anywhere, being inclined and having the power, have the right to rise up, and shake off the existing government, and form a new one that suits them better. This is a most valuable - a most sacred right - a right, which we hope and believe, is to liberate the world. Abraham Lincoln

There seems to be literally dozens of rider reports coming onto twitter about buses that have been approaching to their stop and then just DISAPPEAR! The trackers show countdowns but then the buses never show up and the trackers bounce back up to 30 mins or whatever. Has anybody developed an app that can smoke out the SECRET INVISIBLE BUSES of Trimet? Somebody needs to get on this right away.

Recently, I lost my cellular device on a linetrain 12 out of Powell. I happened
to see a "white shirt" aka Road Supervisor down the road, and flagged him down.
We located the device, and returned the the rightfully owner, myself.
White Shirt was good enough to ask where I was headed, upon informing him, I
found I needed to do double time to catch the last 77 to get to my hotel.

Thursday, September 20, 2012

EngineerScotty Says:
♫♫♫
This train is bound for Gresham, this train
This train is bound for Gresham, this train
This train is bound for Gresham,
Cram 'em in and then compress 'em
This train is bound for Gresham, this train...September 2012 Open Thread